San Jose, CA Water Quality Report
Is San Jose tap water safe? See PFAS and lead contamination levels for San Jose, California. Compare to EPA limits and get filter recommendations.
Quick Answers
Is San Jose, CA tap water safe to drink? San Jose, CA water has high PFAS contamination. EPA UCMR5 testing detected a peak level of 76 ppt, significantly above the EPA's 4 ppt enforceable limit. A reverse osmosis or certified PFAS filter is strongly recommended.
What contaminants are in San Jose, CA water? Top PFAS compounds detected in San Jose water: PFOS (76 ppt), PFHxS (42 ppt), PFPeA (0.02 ppt). See the full table for all monitored contaminants and comparison to EPA limits.
What filter should I use in San Jose, CA? Match the filter to what's in California water: reverse osmosis handles PFAS, lead, and arsenic together (90%+ removal); NSF-53 certified pitchers like Clearly Filtered or ZeroWater cover taps you drink from. A standard Brita pitcher will not remove PFAS.
San Jose, CA Water Quality Summary
EPA testing has detected PFAS "forever chemicals" in San Jose, CA drinking water. Recent monitoring found a peak level of 76 ppt across 13 water systems, representing an average of 0.98 ppt across 9 detected compounds.
Contamination Level: HIGH – High contamination – multiple PFAS compounds detected at levels significantly above EPA safety thresholds.
Top Detected Compounds
- PFOS: 76 ppt (exceeds EPA 4 ppt limit for PFOA/PFOS)
- PFHxS: 42 ppt (exceeds EPA 4 ppt limit for PFOA/PFOS)
- PFPeA: 0.02 ppt
- PFBS: 0.01 ppt
- PFHxA: 0.01 ppt
Lead in San Jose, CA Water
EPA Lead and Copper Rule testing has recorded 224 lead samples for San Jose water systems, with a 90th-percentile high of 0.0171 mg/L (above the EPA 0.015 mg/L action level). There is no safe level of lead for children; if your home was built before 1986, a certified NSF/ANSI 53 lead-removal filter is recommended.
EPA Violations in San Jose, CA
San Jose public water systems have 22 health-based EPA Safe Drinking Water Act violations on record, including Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs), Chlorine Residual, Gross Beta, Gross Alpha (excl. radon & uranium), Arsenic. Health-based violations mean a contaminant exceeded its federal limit or required treatment was not applied.
About the Data
These figures come from the EPA's Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule 5 (UCMR5) testing program, 2023-2025. UCMR5 is the most comprehensive national drinking water survey in US history, covering 66,000+ public water systems. Population of San Jose, CA: approximately 1,021,795.
ZIP Codes Served
Compare San Jose, CA to Other Cities
Side-by-side PFAS contamination comparisons with same-state, regional, and national peers.
What San Jose, California Residents Should Do
- Enter your exact ZIP code at knowyourexposure.com for address-level data
- If anyone in your household is pregnant or under 5, prioritize a certified PFAS filter now and consider a home test kit
- For long-term protection, an NSF/ANSI 58 reverse osmosis system removes 94-99% of PFAS
- Read the Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) your California utility publishes each year